"I miss my mother and the tavern and those loud men who chew with their mouths open, even though mum says it's rude." Amber lay on the grass, her hair falling out of the bun it was in and her cheeks dusted with what looked like flour. Her eyes were closed and a slight pout formed on her face.

It was a lovely day for a picnic and a swim and Arthur was glad that he'd suggested it. He missed being with Amber and although she was determined to be the best kitchen hand in Camelot, Arthur hated the idea of her working so hard. Merlin had dropped them off, then promised to be back later.

"I miss Helb too," said Arthur as he deboned the chicken Amber had fetched from the kitchens. In a way, he did. Life was simpler there and he missed spending time with Amber. "Here. Sit up and have some chicken."

Obediently, Amber scrambled up and took the plate of chicken from Arthur. "The food here is better though."

Slightly later, when most of the chicken was finished, Amber clambered into his lap and looked up at him. "Are you happy in Camelot?"

"I like being with Gwen."

"All you do is sit in your room. That's so boring."

"We're not in my room now, are we?"

"Mum makes me sit in my room when I'm being naughty." Her eyes widened. "Have you been naughty?"

Dipping his head to press a kiss on her hair, Arthur chuckled. "No. Things are just complicated here and it's better if no one except you, Gwen and Merlin know I'm here."

Suspicion lingered in her eyes but Amber nodded. "Do you think if I asked Gwen, she would allow me to learn to ride a horse?"

"Aren't you a bit young?"

"No!" Amber crossed her arms and frowned. "You said I was a big girl because I was doing so well in the kitchens yesterday."

"Still, horse riding can be dangerous. And I would be very sad if you got hurt."

"I bet you learned to ride a horse when you were a child too." She was still frowning as she looked up at him.

Arthur shrugged. "I can't remember."

"Oh." Amber stood and studied him carefully. Arthur almost laughed at the seriousness in her face. "Is it scary not to remember anything?"

"A little."

"Do you think you'll forget me one day?"

He opened his mouth to scoff at her suggestion, then reality intruded. "I hope not," he said instead, taking her hands in his.

"I'll never forget you," said Amber solemnly. "I have a better memory than you."

Arthur pulled her towards him and tickled her sides, sending her into gales of laughter. Her feet kicked at him and he let her go. "How about a swim?"

Amber's hair was completely loose now and she jumped up. "Yes!"

By the time Arthur and Amber got out of the lake, Merlin was sitting at their picnic area, waiting for them. Amber waved enthusiastically at Merlin, whose dour face brightened at the sight of her.

"Do we have to go back now?" Amber turned pleading eyes onto Arthur. "I was having lots of fun."

Arthur picked up a towel and tossed it to Amber. "We've been out for quite a while. And the sun will set soon."

"We can take a little ride around the fairy forest for a bit, before we head off back," said Merlin. The fairy forest was his invention – something he told Amber when they had been riding to the picnic area when she asked about an area that was full of mushrooms and toadstools. Don't touch them, he'd said. They are the houses of fairies.

The little detour didn't take too long, and Arthur found himself back in his small room with Merlin. Amber had gone off to look for her friends in the castle.

"How's Gwen?" Arthur sank onto his bed. He hadn't seen her since the night before.

With a sigh, Merlin slumped onto the only hard chair "Things could be better. Hector has been working behind her backs, easy when the other kingdoms are still wary about her rule."

"She's a good Queen."

"She is." Then Merlin grinned. "Maybe even slightly better than you."

Arthur looked around for something to toss at Merlin, but found nothing. He huffed then settled for a scowl, one that disappeared quickly. "She shouldn't have to do this alone."

"What are you saying?"

Arthur had spent a lot of the past few days thinking about this but at Merlin's raised eyebrow and question, he hesitated. "Maybe it's time I stop hiding out here."

While Arthur hadn't quite expected a party, he had thought Merlin would be happier. Instead, Merlin was frowning.

"I thought –"

Merlin leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "I was hoping that the two of us could make a trip to the Isle of the Blessed. Before we did anything like announcing your return."

"Isle of the Blessed?"

"It's where The Caileach is. The gatekeeper of the Spirit World. She might have answers."

Answers might mean a way to get his memory back. A way to get his life back.

Merlin continued. "Perhaps we should get more answers before you reveal yourself."

It sounded sensible. Gwen had been ruling alone for months, what was another few more days. And returning with his memory would be a much preferred option. "When do we leave?"

"It's Samhain in two days. We should leave then."

It seemed that bad things never happened in isolation.

Somehow, rumours of Gwen's pregnancy swept through the castle. Her first inkling that something was going on was when two young maids huddled in a corner, whispering and glancing at her stomach.

"They are saying that you are pregnant," said Leon, his eyes darting between Merlin and Gwen. "That – that's not true, is it?"

"Who is saying all these?" demanded Merlin.

"The servants. Something about pickled eggs." Leon looked slightly uncomfortable. "They say you've been requesting pickled eggs."

Gwen rubbed her temple.

"Everyone likes pickled eggs," muttered Merlin mutinously.

"Except me," sighed Gwen.

Merlin scowled. "What is with all these people and their big mouths? If Camelot falls one day, it'll be because people can't keep their mouths shut."

"Has the council gotten wind of this?" she asked.

Leon nodded regretfully. "I heard some of them talking about it. And with the talk of the mystery man -"

"Hector is going to use this to his advantage," said Gwen as various scenarios, each one worse than the one before it, flashed through her mind.

And true to her words, Hector waylaid her just as she returned from a visit to the lower town.

There was a gleam in his eyes as he studied her, his eyes lingering on her stomach. She resisted the urge to cover her stomach with her hands, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he unnerved her.

"I hear congratulations are in order." The smile he gave her was predatory and she shivered.

"I believe I made it quite clear that my personal life is not up for discussion."

Hector bowed his head. "Of course, my lady." Then with another insincere smile, he went on his way, leaving a very troubled Gwen in his wake.

"Your majesty," a voice came from her side and Gwen turned quickly to see a wide-eyed Amber, who had clearly been eavesdropping.

"Why, hello Amber," said Gwen, trying not to let her anger seep into her voice. "How have you been?"

"Good. Do you have good news?" Amber looked at her with anticipation, her fingers curled around the edges of her apron. "I heard that man congratulate you."

Gwen shook her head. "I don't. He was mistaken."

"Oh." She thought for a while, then beamed up at Gwen. "I'm going to see Kay. Do you want to come?"

Gwen smiled at the thought of Arthur, then she remembered the letters and petitions she needed to deal with, ones she put off to have breakfast with him early that morning. "I can't. Tell him I said hi."

"Alright!" Amber waved then scampered off in the direction of Arthur's room. Gwen caught sight of a bit of bread in Amber's hand, clearly swiped from the kitchens and smiled. Amber must have taken it for Arthur and she remembered how Arthur would save sweets from his dinner for her. Her heart contracted as she thought of Arthur as a father to the child growing in her.

Then it hit her.

If rumours were going round that she was pregnant, then Arthur was going to hear of them sooner or later.

After dinner, Gwen took a walk in the castle gardens, knowing that Arthur was likely to be lurking in the darkness, grabbing whatever freedom he could. The heavy scent of flowers filled her nose as she walked gingerly on the damp grass, breathing in the fresh night air, allowing herself the brief moment of pretending she was Queen and thought back to her carefree days as a servant. She smiled sadly, wondering when she started thinking life as a servant was better. Above her, the stars twinkled.

"You look tense." Arthur's voice floated to her and she turned to see him leaning casually against a low wall, arms crossed. "Bad meeting?"

"I haven't had a good one in months."

Pushing himself off the wall, he made his way towards her, his every step increasing the pounding of her heart. Without a word, he pulled her into a hug, tucking her head under his chin. "Want to talk about it?"

She shook her head, then buried it further into his neck, greedily inhaling his scent, winding her arms around his waist. If only she could be like this forever, safe in his arms, nary a care in the world. When she felt his lips press against the top of her head and his arms gathering her closer, she blurted everything out. Almost everything.

He pulled away slightly to look at her. "Marriage. To Prince Reynard. That's their solution to the conflicts plaguing Albion?"

"King Lester is very influential."

Arthur let go of her and she shivered, whether because of the cool night air or the loss of his warmth, she wasn't sure. He walked away, his hand running roughly through his hair. "Are you seriously considering marrying Prince Reynard?"

"It is a possible solution -"

"It's a bad solution. Unless -" Arthur moved quickly to her again, grasping her upper arms. "Unless you love him."

She shook her head, taken aback by Arthur's actions. "No, of course not."

His hold relaxed slightly. For a while, he simply regarded her and she grew increasingly uncomfortable under his scrutiny. She wished the moon was brighter so she could see his expression better but in the darkness, his thoughts remained unreadable.

"What do you plan to do?" he finally asked.

"I wish I knew." A small voice in her head nagged at her to tell Arthur everything. "There's something else."

"Oh?" He looked curiously at her.

"Maybe we should sit down." Moving out of his arms, she took his hand instead and pulled him to where a bench stood. When she sat, Arthur settled down next to her, his arm coming round her shoulder to tuck her into his side.

Gwen looked down at her hands in her lap. Unlike many royalties, her hands were rough from the work she did as a servant. She clasped, then unclasped them until Arthur's much larger hand covered hers.

"You said you had something else to tell me?"

How many times had she rehearsed this? And now, the script she'd prepared earlier had fled her head.

His thumb rubbed the back of her hand gently, but he didn't push. "Amber was very excited about being allowed to work in laundry today. I think she's a little tired of being yelled at by Cook."

Gwen forced a smile. "Cook yells at everyone, even Merlin. But she likes Amber, says she's a responsible girl."

She felt more than saw Arthur's smile. "Amber is a great girl."

"You are very fond of her."

"As she says, she was my first friend in Helb. She was the only one who didn't think I was lying about my memory loss or peppered me with questions. She just accepted me as I was."

"Children tend to be like that," said Gwen. She had to tell him. "Do you think you would want a child of your own?"

He seemed startled by the question and didn't answer immediately. "I - well, I suppose I wouldn't mind." Teasingly he asked, "Do you want to practise?"

"Arthur!" But she smiled at his words, remembering the nights they spent together.

She felt his laugh vibrate against her side.

"Arthur," she said again, more seriously. "I'm pregnant."

He stilled against her. "Say that again," he breathed.

"I'm pregnant."

A breath whooshed out of him and his hand left hers. "Wow. I don't know what to say."

That, Gwen supposed, was better than outright rejection of the news. Yet she couldn't help but be disappointed that he wasn't thrilled.

"I assume the child is mine," he said, slight awe in his voice.

She nodded, still feeling down at his lack of excitement.

"Wow," he said again. "This changes things, doesn't it?"

Her fingers curled into her palm, her nails pressing into the soft flesh. "Yes, I guess it does. For you, especially."

"Does this prince, the one you're supposed to marry, know you're pregnant?"

Gwen frowned, slightly annoyed at Arthur suggesting she would marry Prince Reynard. "I'm not marrying him and no, I haven't made a formal announcement yet."

Arthur nodded but offered nothing else. Tilting his head to the sky, he let it rest against the back of the bench. Aside from the constant sounds from the crickets, only their breathing could be heard in the gardens. Gwen closed her eyes, trying to not imagine the worst.

"It looks like it's time for me to stop hiding," Arthur finally said.

For the first time, Gwen felt something other than worry or fear. "You'll return?"

"Yes. I may not have my memories and I may not know how to be King but I want to be a father. To our child." He smiled suddenly. "Our child."

"You're going to be king, just to be a father to our child?"

His hand grasped hers, their fingers twinning. "I've been in Camelot for days. Four days during which I had to sneak around, hide in my room, dart behind pillars and into alcoves. I can't continue like this. I realised some time, I need to either commit to my old life or leave it completely behind and start a new one. Merlin and I were going to visit the Isle of the Blessed, see if we could get any answers before I reveal myself. But now, knowing you have my child growing in you – I know what I have to do."

Gwen felt like she was underwater, her ears blocked by rushing noise and her lungs unable to drag in the breath she needed. "And you're sure." The tremulous voice sounded nothing like hers.

The arm he had around her shoulder tightened. Then slowly, inexorably, his lips came down on hers. The kiss was brief, light but she felt it all the way to her toes.

"Does that answer your question?"

Her fingers walked up his chest, tracing the edge of his collar. "For our child?"

"And for you," he said hoarsely. "You are important to me."

Shrugging off the slight disappointment that he didn't say he loved her, she lifted her head up and kissed him - a longer, deeper, much more satisfying kiss.

They stumbled into her chambers, bodies wrapped around each other, ignoring the poorly disguised shock on Sir Brom's face. If she was going to announce Arthur's return soon, it didn't really matter who saw them tonight.

It was her who pushed him onto her bed, laughing as he sank into the multitude of pillows and cushions that were strewn on it. His hand was still holding hers and he pulled so she toppled onto him, burying her face into his neck and pressing small kisses along the bare skin.

There was so much to talk about, but for now, Gwen simply wanted, craved even, his touch, his affection and his need. He seemed to understand, allowing her to take control and when finally, her skin and hair damp with sweat, she collapsed sated onto his bare chest, Arthur threaded his fingers in his hair, cradling her gently while whispering her name.

"Call me Guinevere," she said against his shoulder.

"Why?" Arthur chuckled, pulling back to look at her. His finger followed a line down her cheek to her shoulder. "Guinevere is such a fancy name. I think you'll always be Gwen to me."

She dropped her head to his shoulder again, not wanting Arthur to see how his answer affected her. There was more to Arthur's decision than how he addressed her.

AN: Thanks for the lovely comments and for continuing to read. :)